Chances are, you heard a song or jingle on the radio this morning that you just can't get out of your head. Kids react to music in the same way! Research shows that not only does music strengthen memory, it often wraps feelings or emotions around a song that enhances learning experiences
I am blessed to teach a classroom full of smart, energetic, and technologically savvy kindergartners!
My students come into my classroom with a variety of knowledge and experiences, but they all have a sparkle in their eye and a desire to learn! I teach in a high poverty, Title I school, and we put an emphasis on incorporating technology into our classrooms.
My Project
I have had the pleasure of meeting Heidi Butkis, kindergarten teacher and creator of Heidi Songs, at the National "I Teach K!" Kindergarten Conference. I already use a few of her songs and videos that I have purchased on my own or that are available for free, and my students ask for them on a daily basis! The DVDs will be utilized daily during morning meeting, whole group reading and math times, literacy centers, math centers, inside recess, and afternoon wrap up time. These DVDs will allow my kinesthetic learners (which are ALL of my students!) to dance and sing their way to learning sight words, letter sounds, numbers, and daily routines. My district has increased our rigor this year in preparation for Common Core, most noticeably in the number of sight words our students are required to read by the end of the year. This has been an area of struggle for most of my students. The collection of sight word DVDs would be another tool in my teacher toolbox to help my struggling readers.
It is no secret that this is a critical time in education.
As reported daily in the news, funding for public education is at an all time low. Without grant opportunities such as this, my students will miss out on these valuable enrichment resources. Thank you for considering our project!
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Cloud and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
